1. Field of the Invention
My invention relates to golf stroke training apparatus, and more particularly to golf stroke training apparatus comprising handle means, weight means, and positioning means for so fixedly positioning said weight means with respect to said handle means that when said handle means is propelled through a correctly executed golf stroke said weight means is substantially directly below said handle means at the bottom of said stroke.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the specification and the claims, I will use terms such as "target line", "swing line", "swing plane", and "club face square to the swing line", so as to eliminate doubt as to their meaning, I will now define these terms. "Target line" means an imaginary line that extends through a golf ball to the target (a point on the golf course which is the immediate objective that the golfer wishes to reach). The "swing plane" is the angle of the swing to the ground. In a good swing, the club head travels around the golfer's body on a plane or imaginary line that runs through the shoulder area to the target line. The "swing line" is the horizontal projection of the swing plane. In other words, if an observer climbed a tall pole directly behind a golfer to a point on the pole above the golfer's head and looked down at the swing plane and the golf club left a trail behind as it traveled the swing plane, the swing line would appear as an arc of a circle with the golfer as the center of the circle. "Lie angle" is the angle the club makes with the ground when the bottom of the club head is flat on the ground and the golfer assumes a correct stance. When I refer to the "club face square to the target line," I mean that the leading edge of the club head is at right angle to the target line at the point the golfer would hit the ball. The "club face square to the swing line" means that the leading edge of the club head is at a right angle to the swing line.
There are several patents that I am aware that inventors in the past have invented to come up with an apparatus to improve a golfer's swing. I will now discuss them below:
Great Britain Patent 437,905 describes a golf club that may be used to develop a smooth backswing, body turn and down swing. The club handle has a detachable section that becomes misaligned with the rest of the shaft when a faulty golf swing is used with the golf club. The apparatus that accomplishes this includes a handle that has a looped end that connects at the location on the handle just below where the misalignment occurs. The club can be used as an ordinary club by twisting a tab member so that the tab member lines up with the bearing, which is at the end of the displaceable handle section. The tab prevents the bearing from moving which in turn prevents misalignment. The displaceable section, as mentioned, includes a bearing at its lower end. The amount of resistance the bearing must overcome to result in misalignment is a function of the force exerted by the bearing on the lower portion of the club which in turn is a function of the force an adjustable spring exerts against the bearing.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,930,342 describes a golf club that prevents jerking and lunging, and develops balance and control. The user of this invention can detect an imperfect swing because a vibration and jerkiness is felt while swinging. The invention includes a golf club which has, instead of a head, a swivel connected to one end of the shaft. A chain is connected at one end to the swivel and at its other end to a balanced pear shaped weight. After gripping the handle, the weight is lowered to the ground, and with the proper stance the club is drawn back. If the forwardswing is started prematurely, a quick jerk is felt by the golfer. This is caused by a sudden change in direction from the backswing to the forwardswing in an improper golf swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,482,015 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,388 describes a structural member connected to the handle portion of a golf club. A flexible cord extends from the structural member to a position directly below where a golfer grips and a weight is connected to the free end of the cord, whereby the weight is suspended below the golfer's grip.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,346 describes an invention to perfect an "inside-out" swing to obtain maximum range and accurate directional control of the club. The invention also makes possible development of the muscles used in a golf swing. The invention has a typical golf club handle which ends in a downwardly curving portion. In this curving portion, a removable weight(s) is located. The inventor mentions that the user should progress from a weight one-11/4 pound to six such weights. The inventor further points out that the angle between the hand and curving portion is critical because if its too great the weight will strike the golfer's shoulders; and if too small, the weight will not be behind him. The inventor points out that this angle should be approximately 471/2 degrees to remove these concerns.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,890 describes an invention which, through sound and vibration, a golfer learns when his swing has reached the end of his backswing. The invention also leaves a divot in the ground as it hits the ball. The direction of the divot allows the golfer to determine if his swing at ball contact is on the correct path. The invention includes a nylon rope loop that is connected to a weight. The loop is placed over the golf club and allowed to settle to the base of the shaft (adjacent to the head). When the golf club is swung back, its motion stops at the end of the swing. However, the weight continues on under its own momentum until it suddenly stops due to the restriction on its travel caused by the nylon rope. This causes the weight to snap back and hit the club head emitting a sound and vibration along the shaft so as to let the golfer know the top of his backswing has been reached.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,053 describes an invention in which a removable weight is added to a golf club prior to an official swing. The inventor contends the added weight "provides an excellent way to limber up ones muscles." The weight comprises a pliable member which is snapped onto the longitudinal center of gravity. (The center of gravity is found by balancing the club on ones finger.) Next a smooth shield is snapped over the pliable member so the open end of the shield is opposite the open end of the member. This combination is held in place by a spring like element that narrows in diameter along its length. The wider end of the element is the end that is first inserted over the pliable member and shield.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,117 describes an invention to aid a golfer to acquire a consistent follow-through. The invention includes a weight that is adjusted along a rotatable arm that is in turn connected to the lower end of the golf club shaft through a clamp. The weight is so positioned on the arm so that it swings parallel with the club head so as to exert a force to pull the head and the golfer's hand through the swing after hitting the ball. The location of the weight requires several critical adjustments.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,795 describes an invention that permits self-analysis of one's golf stroke by using peripheral vision and the stroboscopic effect of light. The invention comprises a member that has frusto-conical member that slides down the shaft and is located on the lower end of the golf shaft at the hosel. Integral to the member is a tab with a hole of suitable diameter to accommodate a flashlight. When the flashlight is turned on and inserted in the tab, the golfer can track his swing with his peripheral vision which in turn trains the golfer to keep his head down.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,356 describes an device that includes a rod that has a soft resilient tip at its free end. The rod is mounted to the upper portion of the golf shaft through a mounting assembly which mounts the device on the golf shaft. The device, after it is located on the golf shaft, is adjusted by a professional golfer so that the free end of the rod will lightly touch the golfer's shoulder when the club has attained its proper position at the end of a well executed backswing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,396 and 4,602,788 are similar in that both inventions use a regulation shaft less the head. At the lower end of the shaft were the head is normally found, one or more circular discs of various weights may be located and held in place by a releasable means on top of weights so that the weights may be removed by slipping them up the shaft and over the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,775 and United Kingdom Patent 472,237 disclose a structural member connected to a golf club shaft below the handled. A weight is suspended from the structural.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,280 describes a removable weight that may be secured over the club head. A weight is located in each of the interconnected envelopes that are integral and symmetrical. The envelopes fold over the club head. The envelopes are held in place by straps that circumscribe the heel and toe of the club head but not its sole or bottom.
From the above one can see that there have been many attempts to produce a practice club that will correct or improve a golfer's swing in one or more ways. But none of the aforementioned patents have disclosed an invention that is embodied with the components and that functions as mine does. That is, one that has sufficient weight so located that when the club with my invention connected to it is swung, the plane the weight swings in appears to be fixed. This fixed plane naturally forces the golfer to swing the club in a plane parallel to the weight plane resulting in a more perfect swing. The reason the plane of the weights appears to be fixed is that, if sufficient weight is used, the golfer can only by great exertion move the weights out of the plane the weight travels in when swung by the golfer when the golfer takes a normal stance with a normal waist turn. I refer to the arm motion that corresponds with the weight motion as a natural pendulum motion.
As mentioned, this is done using a golf club without modifying or removing any components of the club such as its handle (G.B. 437,905), or its head (U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,930,342, 3,351,346, 4,444,396 and 4,602,788). Further, intended purpose of U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,890 is to determine when a golfer reaches the top of his backswing and also determine the flight path of the head at ball contact by looking at the divot this invention makes in the ground. This invention does not locate weights that results in correct swing that arises out of the pendulum motion of the weight. And U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,117 locates a rather complicated weight at a position near the club head. In contrast, my invention locates the weight so a pendulum action results by using conventional weights that may be increased or decreased as the user desires. Pat. No. 3,740,053 is an invention that is used to limber the golfer's muscles, but it does not improve the golfer's swing as my invention does. On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,795 is an apparatus that allows the user to watch his stroke through the stroboscopic effect of light. But this patent does not teach a means to develop one's golf swing through the use of a weight in the manner I teach. U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,356 describes an invention that is limited to a means that lets the golfer know when he has reached the top of his swing. None of the above mentioned patents nor U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,482,015; 4,664,388; 4,682,775; 4,682,775; and United Kingdom Patent 472,237 disclose my invention as further pointed out below.
My invention, on the other hand, maximizes one's swing by developing a swing that follows golf's five "flight laws of impact geometry" so as to result in a straight long distance ball flight. These laws are: club head path (the line that the club takes towards the ball, at contact of the ball and thereafter); position of the club face to the club head path; the angle of attack to the ball; squareness of contact, that is, hit the ball in the middle of the club head; and club head speed. This is done by (a) clamping the golf club to my invention so that the weight is directly below the golfer's hands when the club head is in line with the invention and the golfer places the golf club in the proper lie angle for that individual and (b) swinging my invention so that a half back and forward pendulum motion is achieved, that is, the shaft of the club is parallel to the ground and the club head is pointing up and perpendicular to the ground at the end of both the back and forward half swing; while at all other points during, the swing the club head is square to the swing line. In order to develop the timing necessary to achieve squareness of the face of the club head to the target line at point of impact or contact to the ball as the face of the club head is moving square to the swing line, the weight of my invention must not be allowed to twist on my invention through the down swing or the forward swing. If it does, a noise is made by the unrestricted weights of my invention as they twist on my invention because of an improper swing which in turn causes a vibration through the shaft. The twist of the weights is seen, and the corresponding vibration and noise are heard and felt by the golfer. This alerts the golfer of the improper swing.
Further none of the above inventions alone or in combination teach my invention, which has a weight(s) insertable onto a structural member, and a removable means for retaining the weight, located below the weight as well as other features of my invention described below.